Not Slytherin, eh?
by p0tt3r
Summary: An unexpected event happened before Harry was sorted, making him experience an unusual thing in his first year, all because of an hourglass necklace...
1. A Dragon in the Alley

1 CHAPTER ONE: A Dragon In the Alley  
  
"Welcome," Hagrid said, "to Diagon Alley."  
  
It was only last night when Harry learned about him being a wizard, and him going to Hogwarts. To tell you the truth, he's still confused and still can't explain the event but there he was, walking with the giant, off to buy his school supplies.  
  
Harry looked at the list and found 'robes' on top. He continued to stroll until he reached the shop with the sign 'Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions' above the door. He stepped in to have himself measured for the uniforms. Then the real story started.  
  
There was a boy, about his age, at the back of the shop, standing on a footstool. The boy was with an old woman who was trying on robes for him. This boy had a pale, pointed face with a mean expression on it. His blond hair was neatly combed and brushed up, and his blue eyes were sharp and full of emotions.  
  
Harry walked towards the footstool next to it, and Madam Malkin approached him carrying a black robe. Finally, the boy talked to him. Harry found out that this boy would be studying at Hogwarts too.  
  
This could be a good start, he thought, having my first friend in the wizard world. He learned about Slytherin being the best house, well, according to the boy. Because of this, Harry wanted to be in Slytherin – not Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw, not even Hufflepuff - for there's where his friend would be.  
  
Slytherin's the best. Slytherin's the best. I want to be in Slytherin. Those thoughts lingered in Harry's mind. Before he knew it, he was out in the alley again, off to continue his shopping.  
  
The first day of the term came, and it was about time when he needed to go to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters for the train to Hogwarts. As he boarded the Express, another first year student walked in and asked if he could sit with him. This boy's name is Ronald Weasley.  
  
Harry found the first half of the ride quite boring, since he was only eating lots of sweets. He and Ron talked about different things, including Hogwarts. Ron mentioned that Slytherin is the worst house you'll ever belong to, because dark wizards all came from it. Harry's impression about Slytherin rapidly changed.  
  
I don't' want to be in Slytherin.  
  
Then, about halfway through the trip, a group of three barged in on their cabin, one of which looked awfully familiar.  
  
Of course, the boy in the robes shop! Harry thought.  
  
The boy introduced himself. "My name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," said the boy.  
  
So Draco's his name!  
  
But just after he spoke, the thought of this boy being would-be Slytherin distorted his impression. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there," Draco said, offering a hand to shake at the end of his line.  
  
What's this boy saying? Is he outta his mind? "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Harry responded coolly. These statements stirred up Draco, making he and his 'bodyguards' leave the compartment.  
  
Moments later, a feeling of mixed panic and regret rushed to Harry's mind.  
  
What did I just do?! I ruined the opportunity of having him as my friend… No. I'll say I'm sorry. I can't just let that thing happen.  
  
Harry thought of all the possible ways he could do in order to apologize to Draco. From the train to the boats, that's the only idea on his mind. This sort of bothered him until the Sorting Ceremony, which gave Harry another thing to worry about. 


	2. The Great Halt

1 CHAPTER TWO: The Great Halt  
  
The first years proceeded to the Great Hall, a large room with five large tables, four of which contain the students of each houses. They walked in the middle aisle, and then formed a row in front of the staff's table.  
  
Harry was so amazed about the place, Hogwarts. There were these thousand floating candles hovering above the tables; this night sky-like ceiling that appeared to be none; and these ghosts whooshing from one place to another.  
  
After some start-of-term announcements, Prof. Minerva McGonagall stood in front and held out a list of the newcomers. She brought with her a stool with a ragged, patched tattered pointed wizard's hat on it.  
  
"When I call your name," McGonagall declared in a rather loud manner, "you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." A series of names was read from the list. Harry anxiously waited for his name to be called. Draco, as expected, was sorted as Slytherin. Ron and Hermione went to Gryffindor.  
  
"Potter, Harry," the professor said, looking at the person she just called. Everybody in the room, ghost and human alike, stood up and stared at Harry. Harry didn't mind them, but rather continued to walk slowly to the front. Harry sat on the stool and let Prof. McGonagall put the hat on him. He held tightly on the stool and waited.  
  
Suddenly, after the sorting hat was placed on Harry's head, it quivered and twitched as if it was drawing out something. Klunk. He felt something heavy on his head.  
  
"Might use this in the future…" the hat whispered to Harry.  
  
"What?" he asked curiously.  
  
Harry waited for the answer. But instead of the hat's voice, he heard nothing. All of a sudden, all the people in the Hall – teachers, students and ghosts – froze and stopped moving. Professor McGonagall stood there, fixed in his right, holding the list of the first year students. The staff on the high table remained staring at him anxiously, especially Hagrid, who was looking very stiff. All the students in front of him have a steady expression in their faces. The ghosts hung still in midair. Harry looked at the hall that now seemed like a room full of mannequins. He's the only one moving.  
  
"Why did everybody stop moving?"  
  
"What happened?" He pulled off the hat from his head and grabbed the thing that it once concealed.  
  
"What's this thing?" he asked himself.  
  
The thing looked like a necklace, it was a necklace, only with tiny hourglasses attached at a distance from each other.  
  
"Weird hat," Harry said, while holding it in his left hand.  
  
"I thought this is supposed to speak or whatever. It said that it will sort, not belch out objects," he said while looking at the hat.  
  
He shoved the necklace into his pocket, looked again at the hat curiously, and again slowly put it on. The hat leaped, and all immediately sprang back to life as each of them started to move. At that moment, he was really confused.  
  
"Uhhmmm, difficult. Very difficult," the hat spoke. "Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. Oh, there's talent. And to prove yourself… but where to put you?"  
  
Harry held tight on the stool. He kept on thinking about the necklace, and the strange halt that happened so suddenly. Harry remembered, I'm being sorted now, there's no time to think about that! His attention returned to the hat's words. Harry was eager to know his house, for he'll live with this house for seven years. I hope I'll be in Slytherin, since Draco's there. Imagine a friend like him, hanging around with you all the time. I don't care if I was a bit cold to him a while ago, I'll just make it up for him. After all, he is my first 'friend'. And besides, I think Slytherin's the greatest…  
  
"I know, " the hat's voice gradually increased in volume. All waited in great excitement and eagerness. One can even hear the sighs and gasps of nearby people waiting for the announcement. More students stood up to see the hat's reaction.  
  
Hagrid leaned forward.  
  
Draco sniggered.  
  
Ron kept his fingers crossed.  
  
Professor Dumbledore pushed back his half-moon eyeglasses.  
  
Professor McGonagall's grip on the list is evidently tightening.  
  
Everybody's now paying attention. Who wouldn't? It's the Harry Potter being sorted.  
  
The hat paused for a quick moment, as if drawing in some air, and roared out the answer:  
  
"SLYTHERIN!!!"  
  
Harry was stunned. 


	3. Being a Snake

CHAPTER THREE: Being A Snake  
  
The Slytherin table burst into applause as they heard the 'Sl-' in 'Slytherin'. Oddly enough, it's the only table that was very happy upon the announcement. Everyone else is looking at the black thing resting on Harry's head, as if blaming it.  
  
Dumbledore, also shocked with an is-it-really-true look, came to think of the fact that it is the Sorting Hat who said it all, not just an ordinary baseball cap.  
  
Harry walked don to the table shakily as the Slytherin prefect, Tringy Wanton, gave him a heavy pat on his shoulder. He sat on the left side of the table, from the teacher's point of view, right beside Gregory.  
  
"Zabini, Blaise," McGonagall called, looking at the last one to be sorted.  
  
"Hey there, Harry! Boy, am I glad to see you with us!" Tringy said, ruining Harry's already unruly hair. Harry just smiled.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" yelled the hat.  
  
"Oh, good! Another member," Tringy said.  
  
The sorting ceremony came to an end, and another odd thing to be considered was that the applause given to Ron Weasley (sorted to Gryffindor) had greater intensity than that of Harry's. Well, it'd really be such since Ron has 3 tables clapping for him while Harry's got only one. But Harry's a lot more popular than Ron, whatever.  
  
The headmaster stood up, beaming at everyone with a bright look on his face.  
  
"Welcome to another wonderful year at Hogwarts. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting, so let me say this: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
Harry saw everyone cheering, but he didn't know if he should do the same. He thinks it's kinda funny, so he planned to ask Tringy. But before that…  
  
"Want some fries, Harry?" Blaise asked.  
  
"What fries?"  
  
Harry couldn't believe what he's seeing. At that moment, the plates and goblets were filled up. He'd bet everything that the Dursley's wouldn't give him such amounts of food on any of his birthdays. From roast beef and chicken to peppermint humbugs; all were mouth-watering, and all were at the table.  
  
It was only that time he realized how much food were at the table, and only then he noticed that Draco was sitting in front of him.  
  
I think he's mad at me.  
  
Draco only looked at Harry when he was sorted to Slytherin, and after that, a long stare at his plate. If only stares could pierce he could have bore two deep holes on the table. He would talk to everyone in the table except for Harry, ask questions except about Harry, and make friends except to Harry. He still hadn't forgotten how Harry refused his offer in the train.  
  
I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks…  
  
"Uhmm… Draco?" Harry said, with a let's-make-up tone.  
  
Draco took a bite on the roast chicken, ignoring Harry.  
  
"I guess we'll be friends after all. I mean, we're sorted in the same house," Harry continued. "Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been with that red-haired punk."  
  
Draco had a sip on his juice, and then looked at Harry.  
  
"Friends?" Harry asked, offering his hand.  
  
After about five seconds, "Sure," Draco said, tapping Harry's hand. He was laughing.  
  
"You should have seen your face!" Draco teased.  
  
"You should have said it all along!" Harry replied, throwing a piece of fry, chuckling.  
  
"Man, you looked so serious!" Draco, teased again.  
  
When Harry was just about to ask Draco about come thing in the wizard world, a pearly white figure floated behind Draco. Harry dropped the bunch of fries he's holding.  
  
Harry had never seen such morbid looking ghost in his entire life. He has blank, staring eyes that added eeriness to his gaunt face. And to make things worst, his robes are stained with silver blood.  
  
Draco turned to see what caught Harry's attention. "Oh, he's ----"  
  
"The Bloody Baron," He and Tringy said in unison. "Hi there, sir!" Tringy greeted.  
  
The Bloody Baron was looking at the Gryffindor table, gave a mean look, and turned to Tringy. "A pleasant evening to you. And of course, to the newcomers, welcome to Slytherin."  
  
"Sir, let me introduce Harry Potter, the famous boy who lived, you know him, right?" Tringy asked.  
  
"The son of James, from Gryffindor. I heard the hat would've sorted him to Slytherin if only he didn't specify his preferred house, if only Evans was sorted in Slytherin too." The Bloody Baron answered. "Too bad, I was already dead when you were born."  
  
"How come you're all covered with blood?" Harry asked.  
  
"Don't ask, you'll lose your appetite. Besides, you're using ketchup." The Baron replied.  
  
The deserts came as impressive as the previous ones, and they all ate then as well as the first batch. Time seemed to pass quickly since Harry, Draco, Gregory and Vincent were very much engrossed in their conversation. They came to a halt when Dumbledore got to his feet.  
  
The start-of-term notices were given to the students, including the forbidden forest and the third floor corridor warnings. After all the talking, everyone sang the Hogwarts tune, and before he knew it, Harry found himself walking with the rest of the Slytherin pack, heading to the door of the Great Hall.  
  
"We have the dungeons as our house rooms. Don't worry, it's cozy. You'll love it there." Tringy assured.  
  
As they were walking down the corridor, Harry saw from a distance a bunch of walking sticks floating high in mid-air.  
  
"Wh ----- ", Harry pointed to the duster.  
  
"Oh, " Tringy noticed. "It might be Peeves, the Poltergeist. Don't mind him, as long as the Baron's around, he won't be a trouble." The Baron winked at them.  
  
They marched down the stairs to the basement, passing huge portraits with moving pictures. On their left was a dancing maiden, hopping, which makes her head unseen every time the springs up. On the other side was an old man trying to light a candle. No wonder, it's rather dark in there. But as they turned right upon a corner, a brightly lit broad stone corridor welcomed them.  
  
"Are we there yet?" Blaise asked, looking around.  
  
"Just a bit," Tringy replied. "Prof. Snape asked me to lead you through the long way. Actually, some say there are 8 paths made that lead to the Slytherin common room, but only 3 are commonly used. I haven't got the slightest idea where the other 5 are."  
  
While listening to Tringy, Harry was looking at the portraits of various foods on the stonewalls. Although he was already full, he couldn't help looking at the fresh-looking dishes. There was a roast turkey portrait, a squash-and-celery one, even a silver bowl full of fruits.  
  
They turned right again at the next corner, following a dim passageway. After a minute, Harry found himself standing in front of a bare, damp stonewall with the rest of the group.  
  
"In case you don't know the password, just ask me," Tringy said. "Triggerspike!", he continued, facing the wall.  
  
At that instance, the wall rumbled mildly, and slowly parted, revealing a door. The first years came first.  
  
"This," Tringy said proudly, "is the Slytherin common room."  
  
Harry marveled at the unusual cool temperature inside, even though greenish lamps were burning here and there. The only warm place was in front of the fireplace.  
  
The rectangular common room was quite spacious. Harry sat down on the mossy-green sofa facing the fire. A third year girl named Claria Coalback sat beside him (I can't believe you're really here!). At about 11:45, only four students remained in the common room, and Harry was heading down the passageway to their dorm.  
  
He has Draco, Vincent, Gregory and Blaise as his dorm mates. He entered the room.  
  
"Is not!"  
  
"Is to!"  
  
Gregory and Vincent were shouting at each other. Harry came in, puzzled.  
  
"Arguing over the meal a while ago, Crabbe said the chicken was roasted in butter, Goyle said t'was soy sauce," Draco said, sort of sleepy yet irritated.  
  
"Can't you even distinguish the difference between salty and creamy?" Goyle bellowed.  
  
"Can't you just accept the fact that it's roasted, period?" Blaise interrupted. Harry heard him say "how shallow" under his nose.  
  
Harry lied down in his four-poster, looking at the silver-and-green draping above him. He stared dreamily on the snake design above him. I'm in Slytherin. He thought. I'm a snake…  
  
"Butter!" Vincent said it again.  
  
"Soy sauce!" Gregory replied in anger.  
  
"Shut up, ok!" Draco shouted. "Sheesh, I can't believe I'm having them as my friends," he said to himself while turning his lamp off.  
  
"SILENCE!" Harry had enough.  
  
Everyone looked at Harry's bed through the dark. A rush of deafening silence filled the room, after it echoed Harry's words.  
  
Better, Harry thought.  
  
"It's butter," Vincent whispered.  
  
"Soy – sauce," Gregory replied in a low tone.  
  
Harry realized his remark had no effect. He covered himself with his blanket, hoping to sleep well. One day down, the rest of the year to go… 


End file.
